Method of punch-forming windows in bearing retainers



Dec. 17, 1968 METHOD OF PUNCH-FORMING WINDOWS IN BEARING RETAINERS Original Filed Dec. 19. 1962 30 W131 35 p j 1 5. R. AHLMAN 3,416,211

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Sven Rose Amman ATTORNEYS S. R. AHLMAN Dec. 17, 1968 METHOD OF PUNCHFORMING WINDOWS IN BEARING RETAINERS 2 Sheets-Sheet .2

Original Filed Dec. 19. 1962 INVENTOR Sven Roeem- QHLMAM United States Patent 3,416,211 METHOD OF PUNCI-I-FOlRMING WINDOWS IN BEARING RETAINERS Sven Robert Ahlman, Litchfield, Conn., assignor to The Torrington Company, Torrington, Conn, a corporation of Maine Original application Dec. 19, 1962, Ser. No. 245,736, new Patent No. 3,314,737, dated Apr. 18, 1967. Divided and this application Jan. 6, 1967, Ser. No. 607,753

6 Claims. (Cl. 29-148.4)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure is directed to providing a method for making bearing retainers and wherein windows are punched in the retainers, the windows having wall portions at different angular relationships with each other for retaining rollers therein. The method is directed to obtaining these different angular relationships between the window wall portions. Punch and die means are employed in practicing the method and the dies are especially configured to have two die elements which are movable simultaneously into shearing contact with a retainer, and whereby upon one punching operation portions of a first window are sheared by a first punching element, and portions of a second window are sheared by a second punching element. The retainer is then pivoted, or indexed such that the second window is positioned beneath the first punching element, and whereby, during another punching operation portions of the second window are punched by the first punching element, which completes that window, simultaneously with the punching of portions of a third window by the second punching element. This process is continued, until all windows have been punched by both punching elements, and the retainer is completed.

This application is a division of application Ser. No. 245,736, filed Dec. 19, 1962, now Patent No. 3,314,737 issued Apr. 18, 1967.

This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements in the art of making bearings, and more particularly to the method for making a novel bearing retainer.

This invention particularly relates to hearing retainers of the type for retaining rollers.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel method of forming windows in a bearing retainer for receiving rollers, the method including the steps of sequentially forming a partially shaped window in a first punching operation and then completely punching the window in a second punching operation, the partial forming of the window taking place simultaneous with the completion of another window.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel method of forming a cylindrical retainer for bearings wherein the retainer has a plurality of circumferentially spaced, shaped windows therein for receiving rollers, the method including the steps of initially forming a pair of adjacent partially shaped windows, rotating the retainer an amount corresponding to the spacing of the windows, then simultaneously forming another partially shaped window and completing the shaping of the adjacent partially shaped window, and then continuing the window forming and shaping operations until all of the required windows have been shaped and completely formed.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a novel method of forming a retainer for bearings wherein the retainer is cylindrical and has a plurality of circumferentially spaced, shaped windows therein for receiving and retaining rollers, each of the retainer windows having two sides with each side being formed of a plurality of 3,416,211 Patented Dec. 17, 1968 walls lying in different planes which are angularly related and with certain of the walls of the two sides being parallel, the method of forming the retainer including the steps of forming the partially shaped window in a first punching operation wherein first of the parallel walls of the window sides are finally shaped and a window is partially formed, and then performing a second punching operation to shape others of the parallel walls of the window sides to completely form and shape the windows.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel method of forming a bearing retainer having shaped windows therein for receiving and retaining rollers, wherein each window has two sides and each side is formed of a plurality of walls lying in different planes which are angularly related and with certain of the walls of the two sides being parallel, wherein the method includes the steps of forming a partially shaped window in a first punching operation wherein first of the parallel walls of the window sides are finally shaped and the window is partially formed, and then in a second punching operation shaping others of the parallel Walls of the window sides to completely form and shape the window.

It is another object of this invention to accomplish the above object, wherein the angle between the retainer and a punching tool is varied between the two punching operations, with two punching tools being used in each of the two punching operations, the punching tools having parallel movements.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the relationship of a punch and retainer prior to the initial operation of the punch to form windows in the retainer.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1, and shows the specific relationship of the punch with respect to an associated portion of the retainer, the punch being moved from its position of FIGURE 1 to pass partially through the retainer.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2 and shows the cross-section of the punch adjacent an end of the retainer.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse verti cal sectional view similar to FIGURE 3 and taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 2, and shows the specific crosssection of the punch in a central portion of the retainer.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the upper part of the retainer after the first punching operation.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view similar to FIGURE 3, and shows the retainer in a rotated position and the punch engaged with the retainer in a second punching operation.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view similar to FIGURE 6, but taken through the central portion of the retainer.

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view similar to FIGURES 3 and 6, and shows the details of the retainer with the punch in position during a third punching operation and one of the windows of the retainer being separate from the punch and completely formed.

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the retainer of FIGURES 6 and 7, and shows the general details of the formation of the roller receiving windows formed therein.

FIGURE is a horizontal sectional view taken through a completely formed bearing assembly including the retainer with rollers disposed therein, the rollers being broken away and omitted from one longitudinal half of the retainer in order to clearly illustrate the details of the Windows formed within the retainer.

'FIGURE 11 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view taken through an upper portion of a bearing assembly and through one end of the retainer, and shows the specific manner in which rollers are retained within the retainer.

FIGURE 12 is a transverse vertical sectional view on a large scale similar to FIGURE 11, with the view being taken through the central portion of the retainer and shows the cross-section of the central portions of the retainer windows.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, reference is first made to FIGURES 10, 11 and 12 wherein there is illustrated a bearing assembly formed in accordance with this invention, the bearing assembly being generally referred to by the numeral 15. The bearing assembly 15 is formed of a retainer, generally referred to by the numeral 16, and a pluarlity of rollers 17 carried by the retainer 16. The rollers 17 are conventional and need not be described in more detail hereinafter.

The retainer 16 is of a one-piece cylindrical construction and includes a cylindrical body 18 and flanged ends 19. The retainer 16 is intended to be mounted within a bore of an outer race (not shown). Although flanged ends 19 of the retainer 16 are shown, it is to be understood that the cylindrical body 18 may have thickened portions and that the thickness of the thickened portions of the body 18 may be up to the thickness of the flanged ends 19. By thickening the portions of the body 18, additional wearing surfaces may be obtained for the retainer 16.

The body 18 of the retainer 16 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced windows which are each generally identified by the numeral 20. It is the Specific shape of the windows 20, relationship of the windows 20 to the rollers 17, and especially the method in which the windows 20 are formed and the specific punch for forming the windows which constitute this invention. Each window 20 includes a central portion 21 and a pair of end portions 22.

Referring now to the central part of the bearing retainer 16, as is shown in its partially formed condition of FIGURE 9, it will be seen that a fully formed window 20 has opposite ends 23 which are disopsed along the inner faces of the flanged ends 19. It will also be seen that each window 20 includes a pair of sides 24 and 25 which are in opposed relation. The sides 24 are formed of three or more walls which include central walls 26 and walls 27. The walls 27 lie in a common plane while walls 26 lie in a plane disposed in angular relation to the plane of the walls 27. The planes of the Walls 26 and the walls 27 are disposed at equal angles to a radial plane extending generally through the side 24 and the two planes of the walls 26 and the walls 27 intersect within the thickness of the body 18, as is clearly shown in FIGURES 11 and 12. Due to the specific relationship of the walls 26 and the walls 27, the side 24 has a combined generally V-s'haped bearing retaining surface arrangement which opposes the side 25.

The side 25 of each window 20 includes walls 28 and Walls 29, the walls 29 lying in a common plane. The plane of the walls 29 is disposed in angular relation to the plane of the walls 28 with the two planes being disposed in opposite equal angular relationship to a radial plane extending generally through the side 25. The two planes of the walls 28 and the walls 29 intersect within the thickness of the retainer body 18, as is clearly shown in FIGURES 11 and 12. Thus, the combined roller engaging surfaces of the Walls 28 and 29 provide a generally V-shaped roller engaging surface for the side 25 which opens toward the side 24.

At this time, it is pointed out that the walls 27 are disposed parallel to the walls 28 and the walls 29 are disposed parallel to the walls 26. Thus, the walls 26 and 29 can be formed in one punching operation, and the walls 27 and 28 formed in another punching operation. It is also pointed out that in the illustrated retainer construction, the cross-section of each window 20 is trapezoidal. However, the cross-section is not constant throughout the length of the window 20. As is clearly shown in FIGURE 11, the end portions 22 of a window 20 flare inwardly whereas the central portion 21 of the same window flares outwardly. It is, of course, possible and may be desirable for the central portion of a window to flare inwardly and the outer portions of the same window to flare outwardly under some conditions.

From the foregoing description of a window 20 of the retainer 16, it will be readily apparent that a roller 17 may be readily snapped into a window 20 and be retained therein by the cooperating walls 26, 27, 28 and 29. Although the walls 26 and 28 are of much greater linear extent than the combined extent of the walls 27 and the walls 29, as has been stated above, if it is desired to thicken the retainer body 18 at the ends thereof, this may be done to provide additional wearing surfaces. A thickening of the ends of the retainer body 18 will result in an increase of the width of the Walls 27 and 29.

Referring now to FIGURES 3, 4 and 5, it will be seen that the retainer body 18 is initially imperforate. In the first step of forming the windows 20 in the retainer body 18, two partially formed windows 30 and 31 are formed in the retainer body 18 by means of a punch, generally referred to by the numeral 32. The structure of the punch 32 will not be described now. However, it is pointed out that the punch 32 is moved along a radial plane passing intermediate the partially formed windows 30 and 31. In the initial punching operation, a partially formed window 30 is provided with walls 27 and 28 of the intended finished window 20'. In additipn, the window 30 is provided with a temporary wall 33 extending between the walls 27 and temporary walls 34 at opposite ends of the wall 28.

The partially formed windows 30 and 31, being symmetrical about the plane of movement of the punch 32, have like configurations and as a result, the finished walls of the partially formed window 31 are not the walls 27 and 28, as in the case of the partially formed window 30, but are the walls 26 and 29 which are symmetrically arranged with respect to the walls 28 and 27, respectively. The partially formed window 31 includes a pair of walls 35 which are disposed at opposite ends of the wall 26 and a wall 36 which extends between the walls 29.

The punch 32 includes a pair of punch or die elements 37 and 38 which are integrally connected by an upper cross-bar portion 39. A shank 40 is connected to the upper cross-bar portion 39 to effect the vertical reciprocation of the punch 32. The punch elements 37 and 38 have crosssections corresponding to the outlines of the partially formed windows 30 and 31, respectively.

It is to be understood that the retainer 16 is supported by a suitable mandrel (not shown) during the operation of the punch 32. After the initial punching operation, the retainer 16 is rotated about the mandrel, that is, about the center of the retainer 16 a distance corresponding to the desired spacing of the Windows 20. With the retainer 16 so indexed, the punch 32 is again operated to effect a second punching operation on the retainer body 18. During this second punching operation, the partially formed window 30, which was formed by the punch element 37, is shifted into alignment with the punch element 38, and an imperforate portion of the retainer body 18 is moved beneath the punch element 37. When the punch 32 is moved downwardly with the retainer body 18 so positioned, the punch element 37 forms a new partially formed window 30 in the retainer body 18 and the punch element 38 reshapes the previously formed window 30 so that it assumes the shape of the desired window 20*, as is clearly shown in FIGURE 7. In the reshaping of the partially formed window 30, the walls 33 and 34 are removed and new walls 26 and 29 are formed.

It is to be understood that after the second punching operation, the retainer 16 is repeatedly rotated and indexed and the second punching operation is continuously repeated until such time as the partially formed window 31 is aligned with the punch element 37. During this final punching operation, while the punch element 38 is reshaping a last formed window 30, the punch element 37 reshapes the partially formed window 31 by removing the material defining the walls 35 and 36 and forming walls 27 and 28. The window forming operation is now complete, and the retainer 16 is ready to have the rollers 17 snapped therein It will be readily apparent from the foregoing that the walls 26 and 28 of a window 20 are parallel to the walls 27 and 29 of the next adjacent window to one side thereof, and the walls 27 and 29 of the same window are parallel to the walls 26 and 28 of the next adjacent window to the opposite side thereof due to the fact that the walls of each of these two groups are simultaneously formed in a single punching operation.

From the foregoing, it will be readily apparent that the retainer 16 is of a highly desirable construction in that the windows 20 thereof are so formed wherein the rollers 17 may be readily snapped into place within the windows 20 and retained therein. In addition to the advantageous structure of the retainer 16, it will be readily apparent that the retainer may be quickly and accurately formed by automaic punching mechanism having indexing means and that a very simple punch structure is required to produce the complex wall arrangement of the individual windows of the retainer.

Although preferred method steps and sequences have been disclosed herein, it is to be understood that minor modifications may be made in the disclosed practices without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A method of forming a bearing retainer having shaped windows therein for receiving and retaining rollers, said method comprising the steps of sequentially forming a partially shaped window in a first punching operation and then completing said window in a second punching operation, the partial forming of a window taking place simultaneous with the completion of another window.

2. A method of forming a cylindrical bearing retainer having shaped windows therein for receiving and retaining rollers, said method comprising the steps of initially forming a pair of adjacent, partially shaped windows, ro-

tating the retainer an amount corresponding to the spacing of the windows, then simultaneously forming another partially shaped window and completing the shaping of the adjacent partially shaped window and continuing the window forming and shaping operations until all of the required windows have been shaped and completely formed.

3. A method of forming a bearing retainer having shaped windows therein for receiving and retaining rollers and wherein each window has two sides and each side is formed of a plurality of walls lying in different planes which are angularly related .and with certain of the walls of the two sides being parallel, the method comprising the steps of forming a partially shaped window in a first punching operation wherein first of the parallel walls of the window sides are finally shaped and the window is partially formed and then in a second punching operation shaping others of the parallel walls of the window sides to completely form and shape the window.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein there is a different angular relation between the retainer and tools used in the two punching operations.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein there are two punching tools used in the two punching operations, the punching tools having parallel movements, and the angle between the retainer and the punching tool is varied in the two punching operations.

6. A method of forming roller receiving windows in a cylindrical bearing retainer of the type wherein each window has two sides and each side is formed of a plurality of walls lying in ditferent planes which are angularly related with the walls of the two sides being in parallel sets and each set of parallel walls including at least one wall of each side, the method comprising the steps of forming a pair of adjacent partially shaped windows wherein the parallel walls of one set of walls are finally shaped, rotating the retainer a distance corresponding to the spacing of the windows, then simultaneously forming another partially shaped window and completing the shaping of the adjacent partially shaped window by shaping the walls of the other set of parallel walls, and continuing the window shaping operations until all of the windows have been shaped and completely formed.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 365,066 6/1887 Haberling 83-691 2,805,108 3/1957 Palmgren 29148.4 3,080,639 3/1967 Maurizi et a1 29148.4

THOMAS H. EAGER, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

